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Nasty Bloody Gastro Bug or Parvo ?

Last weekend there was a big thing about a dog that attended a KC agility show that then the next day came down with Parvo. ( the dog is doing a lot better now) The KC did ask everybody that attended the show not to attend any shows for the next three weeks.

I just had a text from my friend asking if Parvo is going around. Her older dog came down with sickness and bloody diarrhoea last week and she said there were 3 other dogs at the vets with the same thing. This evening her younger dog is also starting to be unwell.
My Question is can the vet tell the difference between Parvo and a really nasty bloody gastro bug as I believe Parvo has the same symptoms.

Parvo is becoming more common in the States. Many dog people are practically quarantining their younger dogs until all vaccines are complete. I believe there are parts of the country where it's more prevalent. Have tried to find out if any governmental body is tracking it but so far none is.

We've had intermittant outbreaks of parvo in the East and West Midlands for the last year or so - we seem to be a hot spot. My vets has a large warning notice about vaccinating and being watchful. It tends to be lethal in young dogs who haven't completed their vaccinations, and old dogs whose immune system is not so good. My dog care book says in severe cases the symptoms include abdominal pain, lethargy, occasionally fever; vomiting; and diarrhoea. The virus penetrates the tonsils and then infects the lining of the intestines, the bone marrow, lymph nodes and thymus gland. So I would imagine that the signs are pretty clear to someone who knows what they are looking for, and not likely to be confused with some other gastric infection. Diagnosis is confirmed by 'identifying virus particles or virus antigens in a stool sample analysed at a local laboratory'. Treatment is initially control of shock, pain and dehydration, with antibiotics to prevent a secondary bacterial infection entering the bloodstream from the damaged intestines.

On a side note, my brother-in-law's dog came down with Parvo after having his full vaccinations- the vaccine company paid for all of his treatment, most of which was in house at the vet clinic for at least a week. Thankfully, he recovered.

Some forms of parvo are more lethal than some forms of vaccine protection, as far as I understand. A show breeder posted a few years ago about several dogs at a show in the south in the US dying of parvo, including dogs through their first year booster. There was some discussion about this and one form of the vaccine was considered better than another -- someone else might know more details about the differences between vaccines (I beiieve the issue was killed or unkilled vaccine...?). So yes it is entirely possible that vaccinated dogs especially if young, old or immune compromised, can still get parvo. A vaccine is the single best (and only) protection however for an almost always lethal disease that is unfortunately widespread 'in the wild' and can live for months in hot or cold conditions on grass, pavement etc. Kennels and pounds really fear it because the quarantine period is very long (weeks and weeks) and everything has to shut down.

I've no doubt that a vaccinated dog that gets parvo has a much higher chance of surviving. Puppies almost always die.

Ad yes vets can test for whether it's parvo or not. Treatment is similar though for a very sick dog -- the dog would be on a drip and you'd mostly be trying to keep it alive with support.

On a side note, my brother-in-law's dog came down with Parvo after having his full vaccinations- the vaccine company paid for all of his treatment, most of which was in house at the vet clinic for at least a week. Thankfully, he recovered.

Yes that is one down side to having your dog titerd and not boostered. Even the tests show high immunity my vet made it clear that the vaccine company won’t pay for treatment even though they had puppy vaccination and the first 2 boosters and show high immunity. Also the insurance won’t pay if the dog comes down with Parvo.